Partnership for Inclusion of Neurodiversity In Schools (PINS) Project

Kent PACT is the recognised Parent Carer Forum (PCF) in Kent, representing children, families, parents, and carers with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) across the county. The Partnership for Inclusion of Neurodiversity in Schools (PINS) project is a programme of work being rolled out in partnership with the local authority (Kent County Council) and the local Health Service through the Integrated Care Board (ICB). The project is designed to strengthen relationships between schools and the parents and carers of neurodivergent children.

“A parent carer forum is an organised group of parents and carers of disabled children from a local area. Their aim is to make sure that services in their area meet the needs of disabled children and their families. 

They do this by gathering the views of local families and by working in partnership with local authorities, education settings, health providers and other providers to highlight where local services, processes and commissioners are working well, or challenge when changes or improvements need to be made.”

Parent carer forums (England) | Contact

How will the project PINS help my child?

PINS will help your child by improving their school environment and helping schools adapt the way they do things to meet your child’s needs (which could include mental health, speech and language and physical and sensory) to help them learn and take part in all aspects of school life.

PINS will help all pupils in school – children don’t need a formal diagnosis to benefit from this project.

How will the PINS project help parents?

PINS will help parents to build strong relationships and improve communication with their child’s school so that they can have more confidence in how the school is supporting their child’s needs.

Parents’ views and experiences are a vital part of this project. Kent PACT (Parents and Carers Together will hold forums like coffee mornings and other events for parents so that they can share their feedback, knowledge and ideas with other parents and their child’s school.

By working together, parents, carers and schools can support each other to give children the best experiences of school.

We cannot stress how important parents and carers views and opinions are as part of the PINS project. Together with your school and Kent PACT we look forward to meeting you and telling you more about the project and discussing ways we can all work together to support all children and make their education experience a positive and rewarding one.

If you would like any further information about the role Kent PACT is playing in this project, please email us: pins@kentpact.org.uk

What will Kent PACT be doing in schools?

Kent PACT visits schools to establish individual parent carer forums. These forums are designed to bring parents and carers together to support each other, share knowledge, discuss school experiences, and collaborate with school staff to address challenges.

Parents can share their views and ask questions through coffee mornings, focus groups, and parent surveys. Kent PACT communicates this anonymous feedback to local authorities and school leaders during regular meetings, acting as a voice for parents and carers.

Each forum sets its own rules and discusses various topics related to SEND in the classroom and daily life. These forums provide a platform for parents and schools to unite, learn more about the impact of SEND on families, and explore how schools can better support these children in their educational journey.

Kent PACT will also be conducting a parent survey to find out how you feel about the support you and your child/children receive in school. The survey takes place at the beginning and end of the project so if your school ins a ‘PINS school’, watch out for the invitation to take part and share your views.

Is the survey anonymous?

If your school is a PINS school, Kent PACT will send the survey link to your school who will then send it out to all parents and carers using the usual communication routes. The survey consists of some questions to answer and there is space for you to write any comments you have about your child’s experience in the classroom. You can also leave your name and a number if you don’t mind someone from Kent PACT contacting you but this identifiable information is not shared with your school or anyone else. Your school will only receive information about the numbers of responses to each survey question.

Survey Questions:

How welcoming do you find your child’s school?

Do you, as a parent carer, feel included in the wider school community?

Do you feel your child is included in the wider school community?

How well does the school communicate with you about your child’s development and education?

Do you know what support is provided for your child to meet their additional needs in school?

Do you feel the school supports/makes reasonable adjustments to extra-curricular activities and enrichment?

How often do you and the school communicate about your child (including but not limited to telephone, email, face to face, school apps)

Do you feel your views are heard and valued when communicating with the school about your child?

Do you ever feel worried or anxious about your child whilst they are in school in relation to their additional needs?

If you have a concern or complaint about support for your child, do you feel confident about raising it with the school?

Does your child have any additional educational needs? For the purposes of this survey, this includes a broad range of needs, including – but not limited to – ADHD, autism, language disorders, dyslexia, dyspraxia, learning disabilities…)

If you have any further questions about the PINS project, the parent carer survey or Kent

PACT’s role, please drop us a line at pins@kentpaft.org.uk

Further Information:

Partnerships for inclusion of neurodiversity in schools (PINS) programme – GOV.UK

BPS welcomes Partnership for Inclusion of Neurodiversity in Schools programme | BPS